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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Minnesota fired Tubby Smith on Monday, cutting ties with the veteran coach one day after the Golden Gophers lost to Florida in the NCAA tournament.

Athletics director Norwood Teague announced the decision Monday and said it was time for a ``fresh set of eyes'' on the program.

Smith was 124-81 (.610) in six seasons at Minnesota, helping to bring the program back to respectability and ramping up expectations for a team hit hard by an academic cheating scandal.

Smith won 20 games five times. But he went just 46-62 in Big Ten play and never finished higher than sixth in the conference. The Gophers made three NCAA tournament appearances under Smith. They beat UCLA this year before losing on Sunday.

``Tubby has had a long and distinguished career and we feel it's time for a fresh set of eyes for our student-athletes and our program in general,'' Teague said. ``We are grateful to Tubby and his entire staff for their hard work and dedication to this university, our students and the entire Minnesota community.''

Smith was welcomed with wild enthusiasm when left powerhouse Kentucky in 2007, hailed as the savior to a program that Dan Monson was never able to raise back out of the abyss created from a the academic fraud that ended up wiping out the team's Final Four appearance in 1997.

Smith won 20 games his first season and took the team to the NCAA tournament the following year, restoring some sense of pride to a team that at one time was the most popular draw in the Twin Cities.

But the success seemed to level off after that. The Gophers made the tournament again in 2010, missed it in 2011 and settled for an NIT bid last year as fans started to grow impatient.

``I want to thank the University of Minnesota and the people of Minnesota for giving me the opportunity to lead the Golden Gopher basketball program for six years,'' Smith said in a statement provided by the school. ``Our staff did things the right way and will leave knowing that the program is in far better shape than when we arrived.''

This year's team started off 15-1 and rose as high as No. 8, with wins over Michigan State, Illinois and Memphis during that run. But they quickly came back down to earth, losing seven of 10 games in Big Ten play and squeaking into the tournament as a No. 11 seed thanks in large part to a late-season win over then-No. 1 Indiana at home.

The Gophers handled UCLA in the second round of the tournament only to be thumped by Florida in the next round. A common refrain from fans was that the players, and the team, never seemed to improve as the season went on, instead either stagnating or regressing. The Gophers never finished with a Big Ten record above .500 and finished in seventh place or worse four times in his six seasons.

Undaunted, Smith always pointed to his reputation for running a clean program and the empty cupboard he inherited when he arrived. He has long been lobbying for a practice facility and improvements to historic, but outdated, Williams Arena and has said the lack of investment in the facilities have led to some setbacks in recruiting.

``I don't apologize or I don't defend anything,'' Smith said last week. ``We do the best we can. We do a good job. That's why we're NCAA bound.''

The decision to part with a big-name coach after a rare tournament victory for the program is a bold one for Teague, who is in his second year on the job. It requires a cash-strapped athletic department to raise $2.5 million for Smith's buyout.

With a bevy of highly touted recruits in the state, Teague is acting quickly partially to give a replacement time to forge relationships with high school players including Apple Valley point guard Tyus Jones, one of the most sought-after juniors in the country.

Teague and his top assistant, Mike Ellis, are considered to be plugged in to the college basketball world and are believed to have a strong list of candidates to replace Smith at the ready.

Teague came to Minnesota from Virginia Commonwealth, and it has been speculated almost since his arrival that he would eventually bring Shaka Smart with him. But Smart may have higher profile suitors waiting for him as well with openings already at UCLA and USC.

Other names that could come up are former Timberwolves coach and Golden Gopher alumnus Flip Saunders, Villanova's Jay Wright and Marquette's Buzz Williams.

Always remember the 3 G's Girls,Golf, Gambling not in any particular order......:2thumbs:

If you are a player or a coach, there is nothing sweeter this time of the year than being alive in the NCAA Tournament. For those teams that survived the opening two rounds of this main event it's on to the Sweet 16 and, hopefully, the Elite 8 this weekend.

From the NCAA Sweet 16 Tournament Guide here are essential notes and trends of the teams that have arrived. Stay tuned.

The Sweet 16 is set in the NCAA Tournament, but the NIT is reclaiming the spotlight tonight with three games with its Final Four starting next week at Madison Square Garden. The top-seed in the Kentucky regional is no longer playing as the Wildcats were bounced by Robert Morris last week. It was an upset to a certain extent, but Robert Morris received a huge break by playing the game at home in Pittsburgh due to Rupp Arena being unavailable as it was used for the NCAA Tournament.

Robert Morris at Providence (-8 ½) - 7:00 PM EST

The Colonials will look to bottle up all the momentum from last Tuesday's 59-57 upset of Kentucky as 3 ½-point home underdogs as Robert Morris makes the short trip to Providence. RMU allowed 52% shooting from the floor to Kentucky, while pulling down just 17 rebounds in the win.

Providence rallied past Charlotte in its NIT opener, 75-66, while pushing as nine-point home favorites. The Friars outscored the 49ers, 42-30 in the second half, as the game barely went 'over' the total of 139 ½. PC's starting five scored 73 of the 75 points, while Bryce Cotton led the Friars with 25 points for the fifth straight win at the Dunkin Donuts Center.

Robert Morris has very little to show from a pointspread standpoint due to the Northeast Conference rarely being listed on the board. The Colonials are 4-2 ATS in six lined games, while posting a 1-1 ATS mark as an underdog that includes an early-season loss at Lehigh. RMU lost close calls at Arkansas and Xavier earlier this season, while picking up a solid home win over Ohio on December 1.

The Friars owned a 5-3-1 ATS record as a home favorite this season, but that also includes an outright loss to DePaul early in Big East play. However, Ed Cooley's club has won eight of 11 games down the stretch since a three-game skid to close January.

Mercer at BYU (-7 ½) - 9:00 PM EST

Probably the biggest upset in the first round of the NIT came in Knoxville, as Mercer won at Tennessee, 75-67 to cash outright as eight-point road underdogs. The Bears hail from the same conference as Florida Gulf Coast (Atlantic Sun), as Mercer knocked down 50% of its shots from the floor to shock the Volunteers, while leading from start to finish. Now, Mercer travels to Provo for a tough matchup with BYU.

The Cougars chased out Washington in the opening round of the NIT, 90-79 to cash as six-point favorites. BYU blistered Washington's defense with 57 points in the second half, while Tyler Haws put up a game-high 37 points for the Cougars. The victory snapped a six-game ATS skid in the favorite role, while improving to 4-8 ATS the last 12 opportunities when laying points.

The Bears have played seven lined contests the whole season, but have posted a 2-4-1 ATS record. Mercer has eclipsed the 72-point mark in five consecutive games, while hitting the 'over' in three straight contests, including the win at Tennessee. This team is not afraid to go into big-time schools and cause trouble, as Mercer has picked up victories at Alabama and Florida State this season.

Louisiana Tech at Southern Mississippi (-8) - 10:00 PM EST

These two teams met earlier this season in Rustin, as Louisiana Tech silenced Southern Miss, 65-55. The Bulldogs cashed as four-point favorites in spite of shooting just 39% from the floor, but they limited the Golden Eagles to 33% shooting. Southern Miss was squeezed from the NCAA Tournament when it fell to Memphis in double-overtime of the Conference USA title, as the Eagles go for their second consecutive win in the NIT.

Donnie Tyndall's club held off Charleston Southern, 78-71, but failed to cover as 11 ½-point home 'chalk' last Wednesday. Southern Miss torched Charleston from the field by drilling 56% of their shots, while hitting 10 three-pointers. The Golden Eagles have now finished 'over' the total in seven of the last eight games, while scoring at least 78 points six times in this stretch.

Louisiana Tech snapped a three-game skid by knocking off Florida State in Tallahassee, 71-66 as three-point underdogs. The Bulldogs grabbed a share of the WAC regular season title with Denver, but Tech was upset in the opening round of the conference title against Texas-San Antonio, dashing any chances of a bid to the Big Dance. Tech put together a 2-3 ATS record as a road underdog this season, but went 11-5 straight-up away from Rustin.

Always remember the 3 G's Girls,Golf, Gambling not in any particular order......:2thumbs:

Armadillo: Monday's List of 13: Wrapping up the best weekend of the year.......

13) Florida Gulf Coast 81, San Diego State 71-- Eagles shot 55% from floor against solid defensive team, become first #15 seed ever to advance to Sweet 16. They're the talk of the tournament-- good for them.

12) This Comer kid is terrific PG who should be playing in a much better league than the Atlantic Sun; if UNLV had him, they'd be a favorite to go to the Final Four. What tremendous court vision he has.

11) Apparently the only reason Florida Gulf Coast went Division I in hoops is because a D-II league in Florida turned them down. Multiple people have confirmed that story, which is a little amazing.

10) Ohio State 78, Iowa State 75-- Terrific game that swung on a marginal charging call against the Cyclones when they were up a point; Craft's heel appeared to be on that arc under the basket. Iowa State made 12-25 from arc, rallied back from down 13-- this was a very tough loss. .

9) Had no idea that Iowa State coach Fred Hoiberg needs a heart valve replacement in the near future, no one knows exactly when; he played in NBA for ten years, had to retire because of the heart issue. Our thoughts and prayers are with him-- very popular figure in Iowa.

8) Indiana 58, Temple 52-- Three of Owls' five starters combined to go 0-21 from floor in this interesting game, as Khalif Wyatt carried Owls for 38:00, but got no help when he needed it most. Indiana-Syracuse this week means roughly 1,000 replays of Keith Smart's shot in 1987- terrific.

7) Florida 78, Minnesota 64-- Gators were up 21 at half, staggered thru the second half; Minnesota-UCLA might wind up as the worst first round game of the last 20 years. Should've automatically picked against the winner here.

6) Speaking of UCLA, they officially fired Ben Howland Sunday; question is, who are they going to get who is a better coach? If you fire a guy who got to three Final Fours in ten years, why is this considered a good job?

5) LaSalle 76, Ole Miss 74-- Much like VCU two years ago, Explorers are proving that going to the First Four isn't so much of a hinderence. It helps to have really good senior guards.

Last 13-seed in the Sweet 16? Bradley Braves, in 2006.

4) Kansas 70, North Carolina 58-- Tar Heels were up 30-21 at half, were +11 in turnovers for game, but shot only 30.1% and Jayhawks started running more in second half, going on 42-17 spurt to turn game in their favor.

3) Miami 63, Illinois 59-- Survive. Advance. This was a 50-50 game; Durand Scott scored only six points, but Hurricanes made key plays late for the win. Illinois team always seemed like they should've been better.

2) Duke 66, Creighton 50-- Awful game, with McDermott not scoring hoop in last 24:00; he was 12-12 from foul line, but Duke bludgeoned the Bluejays and move on to Indianapolis for the Sweet 16.

Krzyzewski, Pitino, Izzo in same region....with Dana Altman, who is a very good coach, but not exactly a media darling. Should be interesting.

1) Its great to see an unknown team like Florida Gulf Coast believe in its abilities, play with tremendous enthuiasm and shock the world; they've got guys who can run, pass, shoot, defend- well-rounded, athletic players. Next up are the Florida Gators, who wouldn't even scrimmage the Eagles last fall.

Florida Gulf Coast is a 12-point dog; you going to give them 12 points?

Always remember the 3 G's Girls,Golf, Gambling not in any particular order......:2thumbs:

ROBERT MORRIS (24 - 10) at PROVIDENCE (18 - 14) - 3/25/2013, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PROVIDENCE is 3-12 ATS (-10.2 Units) in home games in March games since 1997.
PROVIDENCE is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) in all tournament games over the last 3 seasons.
PROVIDENCE is 32-56 ATS (-29.6 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

MERCER (24 - 11) at BYU (22 - 11) - 3/25/2013, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BYU is 178-126 ATS (+39.4 Units) as a favorite since 1997.
BYU is 26-10 ATS (+15.0 Units) as a home favorite of 6.5 to 9 points since 1997.
BYU is 118-83 ATS (+26.7 Units) in all home games since 1997.
BYU is 118-83 ATS (+26.7 Units) in home lined games since 1997.
BYU is 54-32 ATS (+18.8 Units) in home games after a non-conference game since 1997.
BYU is 53-31 ATS (+18.9 Units) in home games in non-conference games since 1997.
BYU is 82-56 ATS (+20.4 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
MERCER is 11-1 ATS (+9.9 Units) as an underdog over the last 3 seasons.
MERCER is 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) in March games over the last 3 seasons.
MERCER is 9-1 ATS (+7.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

LOUISIANA TECH (27 - 6) at SOUTHERN MISS (26 - 9) - 3/25/2013, 10:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LOUISIANA TECH is 32-21 ATS (+8.9 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
LOUISIANA TECH is 32-21 ATS (+8.9 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
LOUISIANA TECH is 8-2 ATS (+5.8 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
SOUTHERN MISS is 2-9 ATS (-7.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
SOUTHERN MISS is 1-1 against the spread versus LOUISIANA TECH over the last 3 seasons
SOUTHERN MISS is 1-1 straight up against LOUISIANA TECH over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

HOUSTON (20 - 12) at GEORGE MASON (19 - 14) - 3/25/2013, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
GEORGE MASON is 34-17 ATS (+15.3 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games since 1997.
GEORGE MASON is 15-25 ATS (-12.5 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
GEORGE MASON is 9-18 ATS (-10.8 Units) in all home games over the last 2 seasons.
GEORGE MASON is 9-18 ATS (-10.8 Units) in home lined games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

RICHMOND (19 - 14) at WRIGHT ST (22 - 12) - 3/25/2013, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
RICHMOND is 3-10 ATS (-8.0 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
WRIGHT ST is 20-11 ATS (+7.9 Units) in all games this season.
WRIGHT ST is 20-11 ATS (+7.9 Units) in all lined games this season.
WRIGHT ST is 12-5 ATS (+6.5 Units) as a favorite this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
RICHMOND is 1-0 against the spread versus WRIGHT ST over the last 3 seasons
RICHMOND is 1-0 straight up against WRIGHT ST over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

SANTA CLARA (22 - 11) at PURDUE (16 - 17) - 3/25/2013, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SANTA CLARA is 21-34 ATS (-16.4 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
SANTA CLARA is 21-34 ATS (-16.4 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
PURDUE is 29-15 ATS (+12.5 Units) in all home games over the last 3 seasons.
PURDUE is 29-15 ATS (+12.5 Units) in home lined games over the last 3 seasons.
SANTA CLARA is 28-11 ATS (+15.9 Units) in road games when playing with 5 or 6 days rest since 1997.
SANTA CLARA is 49-30 ATS (+16.0 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a losing record since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

W MICHIGAN (21 - 12) at WYOMING (20 - 13) - 3/25/2013, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
W MICHIGAN is 22-41 ATS (-23.1 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games since 1997.
WYOMING is 25-13 ATS (+10.7 Units) as a favorite over the last 3 seasons.
WYOMING is 14-5 ATS (+8.5 Units) in home games after a non-conference game over the last 3 seasons.
WYOMING is 8-2 ATS (+5.8 Units) in non-conference games this season.
WYOMING is 20-35 ATS (-18.5 Units) in March games since 1997.
WYOMING is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games this season.
WYOMING is 2-8 ATS (-6.8 Units) versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game after 15+ games this season.
WYOMING is 6-15 ATS (-10.5 Units) versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

UC-IRVINE (21 - 15) at ORAL ROBERTS (19 - 14) - 3/25/2013, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
UC-IRVINE is 13-27 ATS (-16.7 Units) in road games after scoring 80 points or more since 1997.
ORAL ROBERTS is 10-19 ATS (-10.9 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
ORAL ROBERTS is 4-13 ATS (-10.3 Units) in March games since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

Always remember the 3 G's Girls,Golf, Gambling not in any particular order......:2thumbs:

Robert Morris kids might still be hung over after beating Kentucky last week on national TV; Colonials lost by 10 at Pitt LY, last time they've faced a Big East team. Providence plays only seven guys; they're 8-3 in last 11 games, beat Bryant by 32, in only game vs NEC opponent.

Mercer finished ahead of Florida Gulf Coast in A-Sun; they're 12-2 in last 14 games, but lost at New Mexico by 18, Denver by 29 in its two western road games this year. BYU is 4-5 in its last nine games, but won three of last four at home. Last three Mercer games went over total.

27-6 Louisiana Tech snapped 3-game skid with 71-66 win at Florida St., Tech (-4) beat Southern Miss 65-55 Dec 8, despite 23 turnovers; USM top scorer Davis had only 7 points. Eagles won last five home games and eight of last 11 overall. Tech lost two of its last three away games.

George Mason is announcing move to A-16 today; their last six games were all decided by 6 or less points. Patriots lost four of last five home games. Houston has played easiest schedule in country this year; they've won five of last six games, with last three wins all by 5 or less points.

Richmond's 76-71 win at Bryant in first round was its second win in last ten road games; Spiders are 16-2 this season vs teams ranked outside top 100 (Wright State is #113). Raiders won four of last five games; they're 1-0 vs CAA teams this year, winning 63-57 at league doormat Hofstra.

Santa Clara is 10-5 in its last 15 games, but lost lost last three road tilts, by 17-43-13 points; Broncos are 1-7 vs teams in top 70, winning by 7 at Saint Louis in November. Purdue won three of last four at home, with only loss by 5 to Michigan. Purdue is 12-4 vs teams outside top 80.

Western Michigan lost three of last four road games, with four of its last five on road decided by 4 or less points; Broncos won 12 of its last 17 games overall. Wyoming is 15-0 vs teams outside MWC, 12-0 vs teams ranked outside top 125- they've beaten four top 70 teams in Laramie.

Cal-Irvine won nine of last 11 games; they lost by hoop at Sam Houston State in OT, its only game vs Southland opponent- they won two of last three road games. Oral Roberts beat Sam Houston two out of three, but lost to them in Southland tourney; Titans won seven of eight at home.

Always remember the 3 G's Girls,Golf, Gambling not in any particular order......:2thumbs:

12:00 PM
ST. JOHN'S vs. VIRGINIA
St. John's is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of St. John's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Virginia's last 6 games
Virginia is 12-6 SU in its last 18 games

1:00 PM
STANFORD vs. ALABAMA
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Stanford's last 7 games on the road
Alabama is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Alabama's last 5 games

7:00 PM
HOUSTON vs. GEORGE MASON
Houston is 3-5-1 ATS in its last 9 games on the road
Houston is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
George Mason is 18-7 SU in its last 25 games at home
George Mason is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games at home

7:00 PM
SANTA CLARA vs. PURDUE
Santa Clara is 7-16 SU in its last 23 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Santa Clara's last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Purdue's last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Purdue's last 7 games at home

7:00 PM
RICHMOND vs. WRIGHT STATE
Richmond is 4-1-1 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Richmond is 6-12-3 ATS in its last 21 games on the road
Wright State is 12-4 SU in its last 16 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Wright State's last 7 games at home

7:00 PM
ROBERT MORRIS vs. PROVIDENCE
No trends available
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Providence's last 6 games at home
Providence is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home

8:00 PM
UC IRVINE vs. ORAL ROBERTS
UC Irvine is 6-13 ATS in its last 19 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of UC Irvine's last 6 games on the road
No trends available

9:00 PM
WESTERN MICHIGAN vs. WYOMING
Western Michigan is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Western Michigan is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Wyoming is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Wyoming is 2-7 ATS in its last 9 games

9:00 PM
MERCER vs. BYU
No trends available
BYU is 17-8 SU in its last 25 games
BYU is 1-4-1 ATS in its last 6 games at home

10:00 PM
LOUISIANA TECH vs. SOUTHERN MISS
Louisiana Tech is 9-2 SU in its last 11 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Louisiana Tech's last 10 games on the road
Southern Miss is 3-11-1 ATS in its last 15 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Southern Miss's last 5 games at home

Always remember the 3 G's Girls,Golf, Gambling not in any particular order......:2thumbs:

Houston at George Mason
The Patriots look to build on their 7-3 ATS record in their last 10 non-conference games. George Mason is the pick (-6) according to Dunkel, which has the Patriots favored by 8. Dunkel Pick: George Mason (-6). Here are all of today's games.

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